Be Patient

Patience, n. A minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue

Devils Dictionary;Ambrose Pierce (American satirist)

It seems to me that technology is expanding at such a rate that we are in a constant state of anxiety just trying to keep up. This seems to contradict what the technology creators tell us. Isn’t all of this new technology supposed to make our lives easier, to make accomplishing tasks quicker, thus freeing up time for us to spend with our family and friends or doing other things we enjoy doing? Is that what is happening? I think not.

It appears that we have become so conditioned to believe that we should not have to wait, that we have a society that is in a constant state of impatience. How many times have you stood beside the fax machine waiting for a document to come through and steamed with the delay, or waited for something to download onto your computer or Smartphone?  I think it is time we recognized that the faster things can be done, the more we are expected to do. There is no new “free time” as a result of technology; we are just expected to do more. We need to recognize that the advancement of technology to make things faster, is not about making our lives easier, or freeing up our time; it is about money, pure and simple.

It seems we have become so conditioned that we must have everything quickly, that if we are forced to wait, while we ride the bus, or wait in line at the bank, we must have something to distract us, we have lost all sense of patience. Although it is nice to have a phone with you in case of an emergency or to call someone and let them know you will be late, do we really need it to watch TV on, to play games on? Before it was available, did you even think that is something you wanted, or needed?

And now we are starting to train and condition our children in this same way, at a very early age. I just saw an Advertiement for the Ipotty!? Seriously? Do we now have to give our children computer games to play while they sit on the potty?  Listen, I’m not against technology, but I have been thinking more about its impact lately. Mainly because I have been thinking a lot about waiting, which makes me think about patience. I am thinking about patience, because I am sitting in a recliner chair waiting for my pager to go off to tell me that it is time to go to the hospital for a lung transplant.

According to Wikipedia:

Patience (or forbearing) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can take before negativity. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast.

Yup, that pretty well sums up what I am doing. Trying to persevere. People tell me “Oh Mike I can’t believe how patient you are being”. And I sit here and think, “Well it is not like I have any other option”. However, you know what, that is not true. I do have an option, and you do too. Although it is true I have no choice but to wait, it is also true that I can choose the attitude I will have while I wait. I don’t enjoy waiting, but I don’t see any advantage in complaining about it. Even if there was someone to blame, what would be gained by yelling at that person? In any event, I anticipate the pager going off soon, so, in the words of Margaret Thatcher,

“I am extraordinarily patient, as long as I get my own way in the end”.

One last quote, this from Leonardo Da Vincini:

Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind.

So, be patient, don’t be in such a hurry. You only get one life, enjoy the journey

Viva Las Vegas

OK, so Las Vegas..

I had spent months looking at websites and talking to people to  figure out what we were going to do  on our trip. We were to be there for 7 days and neither of us our big gamblers. So we had a convertible car booked, with plans to drive out to the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon, see a show, go out for some nice dinners. But here is how it went....
When we last left our heros, we were in the ER at the Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas. I was being poked and prodded by the doctors and nurses, and Arletha left to retrieve our luggage and get checked into the hotel. I can still see the look of bewilderment on Arletha's face as she realized that she was going off into  Las Vegas unescorted. If I wasn't so concerned for her, it would have been comical. We both laugh about it now, but at the time, Arletha by herself in an unknown big city, was scary for both of us. But bless her heart, off she went to the airport and got the luggage. Next step...rental car. Much more of an issue. She had no intention of driving, just wanted to check in and let them know that we wouldn't need the car for a day or two. Despite the situation, the kind and caring people at Alamo Car Rental still tried to upgrade Arletha and charge her an additional $400 for the rental. Clearly they were not aware of my darling wife's frugal tendencies, there would be no upgrade. So from the airport to the hotel. To hear her tell the story is priceless. Anyone who knows Arletha, knows that she can and does make friends everywhere she goes.... while waiting in line at Safeway, the concession stand at the park or even in an elevator. For some reason people always open up to her. I could know somone for months, but Arletha could meet the same person and talk to them for  a half hour, and she will know way more about them than I do, or I dare say, ever would. And so it went in Vegas

She checked in at the front counter of the three hotel resort and they drove her in a golf cart type vehicle to her hotel and dropped her off. She gathers up the bags and heads to the room. Unfortunately they had dropped her off at the wrong building and it is a long way back. Well just as she is lamenting the terrible day she is having, the elevator doors open and she hears the ladies inside mention that they are from New Brunswick. This wonderful group of ladies, travel together on a regular basis and call themselves the Smelly Cats. In this case they were there to celebrate the b'day of one of the group. They never missed a beat and quickly adopted my darling wife, named her the 'Stray Cat' and got her back to the front desk and then into her room. Thier kindness and helpfulness didn't stop there however. As Arletha was now on her own, they took her with them out to dinners, the casinos and tried to help her have at least some fun in Sin City. I have never met these ladies,  but I cannot thank them enough.

We had made prior arrangements to hook up with my brother Bren and his wife Pam. I was texting with them from the hospital, and each day I thought that would be the day I was going to be discharged. Well they showed up, but the only good time we had in Vegas together was bedside in the hospital. They did go out with Arly one night, and from the couple of talks we had on the phone that night, it sounded like a few beverages were enjoyed. I think Arly even won a few dollars at the slots. 

The impetus for the trip in the first place had been to celebrate Arletha's birthday. Instead of going to a show and dinner, Arletha went to a Red Lobster that  was not too far from the hospital and brought supper back to my room, where we toasted her special day with Cokes.

Well the only good thing about the trip, was leaving...We were loaded onto a private jet with just the two of us, the pilots, a nurse and a paramedic. Personalized service extrordinaire!!

So that was the trip. I stayed in the hospital and tried to get the doctors to discharge me, and Arletha for  the most part, rode in taxis back and forth to the hospital. Not the  trip we had planned. We just never envisioned, even after a week in the hospital, that we would still be dealing with the same medical issue almost a year later. But here we are. Who knows what the future holds, or how long it will take to get the transplant? All we know is that we have faith that we will have a sucessful transplant, and that we will return to our home....we just don't know when. We will talk about waiting next time, In the meantime,,,Live Life, Pass it On

Sorry for the delay

Let me start out by first saying, in the words of Gary Bettman, "I'm sorry". I have no real excuse for  not posting more frequently. All I can say is that at the end of each day I say OK, tomorrow I will post something, and then the day slips away and that night I again promise myself I will post tomorrow... It seems ridiculous, given that  I am stuck in this recliner chair and, with the exception of  the odd doctors appointment, don't have anything else I have to do. All I can say in my defence is that the cough that  comes along with the fibrosis, has gotten worse. As a result I am  taking more medication to control that. The meds make me a little loopy (I hear you that are saying I am loopy even without the meds), and drowsy. But I think even  more to  the point, it seems to drain any ambition. In any event, here I am again.

So, quick health update. Despite my tardiness in posting, I am fine. As noted above, my cough has got a little worse, but that is mostly controlled by taking more drugs. Outside of that, and the  fact that I can't walk to the bathroom, even with increased oxygen, I feel very healthy. No aches or pains, no  headaches, and even  though  I am restricted to the recliner,  not stiffness or soreness. Outside of recent digestive issues, resulting in nauseous feelings and upset stomach, I am surprised at how well I feel. There are friends and family that have recently contracted the Flu and they look and sound worse than me!

As many of you know, this ordeal has left Arletha and I without any source of income. Back in May 2012, when I was told that the only treatment option left was transplant, it became apparent that we were going to be in some serious financial trouble. Visions of  losing our home and having to go on Welfare were front and centre. It was then that we came to understand and appreciate the depth of love and support from our family and friends. One can say that  you should be able to count  on  family to  step  up, but I know that does not  happen in all families, sometimes due to the family relationship themselves, but sometimes simply due to the fact that  the  familyy does not have the funds or the wherewithal with which to help even if they wanted to. My family has done so much more than just step up. Their constant love and support, both emotionally and financially, has been truly life saving.  We have been so fortunate and we try to never lose sight of that fact. In addition to our  families, Arletha and I have been blessed with the generosity of truly amazing friends on the Sunshine Coast like Gary & Sharlene, Marc & Ingrid, Mike & Kate, as well as dear friends from Thunder Bay, John & Patti and Arlethas' friends, the Smelly Cats from New Brunswick, and so, so  many others.  There are so many and too many to list, some of whom we have never even met, but please know that  all of you have a special place in our hearts.

Over the Christmas holidays I, like so many others, enjoy listening to Christmas songs. My brother Tony introduced me to some very off colour songs by a fellow by the name of Kevin "bloody" Wilson. He does a song in which a small boy and girl express their displeasure with Santa for not bringing them the things they asked for. One line from the song goes " Hey Santa you geriatric old fart, you forgot my f---ing bike" While I don't condone the  use of foul language during the Christmas season, I must also express my displeasure in not receiving my lungs for Christmas. for those of you who are not  easily offended you can get the song on youtube. Substitute lungs for bike, and you will get the idea about how I feel about still sitting  here waiting lol

OK, that is is for now. I know I promised a story about the stay in Vegas and I will get to it, but really wanted to get this  update out there. Thank you to everyone for their ongoing love and support, it truly means so much to Arletha and I.